Gaza aid flotilla: Spain urges Israel to release detained activist Saif Abukeshek

Spain’s foreign minister on Saturday demanded the immediate release of an activist held by Israel. The detention followed an Israeli navy interception of an aid flotilla heading to Gaza. Spain said the action took place in international waters. The issue has added to existing strain between Israel and Spain over Gaza.

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Saif Abukeshek, a dual Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin, was detained for questioning in Israel. Thiago Ávila of Brazil was also detained on Saturday. A legal aid group said both men started a hunger strike. Dozens of other activists were picked up by the Greek coast guard and taken to Crete.

Spain foreign minister calls detention illegal in international waters

"This is a case of illegal detention in international waters, outside the jurisdiction of Israeli authorities. I have made this clear to my Israeli counterpart,\" José Manuel Albares said in an interview with public radio. Albares said Spain wanted Abukeshek released at once. The comments came after reports of the men’s transfer to Israeli custody.

An Israel-based legal advocacy group, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, or Adalah, said it visited both men. Adalah said the visit took place at a detention site in Ashkelon, an Israeli port city. The group said the two reported a hunger strike. Adalah also said the men alleged repeated beatings while in custody.

Israel foreign ministry says questioning over Hamas links

In an online post, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Abukeshek and Ávila were questioned for possible links to the armed group Hamas. The ministry also said the two men were granted consular visits. The statement came as Spain publicly challenged Israel’s authority to detain activists taken from international waters.

Adalah said the activists described isolation, long periods of blindfolding, and physical beatings. \"Adalah maintains that the treatment of the two activists, including the use of isolation, prolonged blindfolding and physical beatings, constitutes a grave violation of international law,\" the group said. Israel did not comment on those claims in the cited post.

Spain foreign minister dispute adds to Spain-Israel tensions

Abukeshek’s detention has further strained ties between Israel and Spain. Spain has criticised the war in Gaza and recognised Palestinian statehood in 2024. On Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a campaign event for regional elections in southern Spain.

\"Now that Netanyahu has taken foreign citizens, including a Spanish national, and brought them to Israel, I have a few things to say to Prime Minister Netanyahu,\" Sánchez said to applause from supporters of his Socialist party. \"First, Spain will always protect its citizens. Second, we will always uphold international law - and this is yet another violation of it,\" Sánchez said.

\"And third, we demand the release of the Spanish citizen who has been illegally detained by the Netanyahu government.\" Spain’s government linked the detention to wider concerns about international law. The case remained active on Saturday, with Israel questioning the detainees and Spain pressing for Abukeshek’s release.

With inputs from PTI